Swords of Chivalry

What Is The San Diego Longsword HEMA Program?

Program coaches Scott Farrell (left) and Kyle Lazzarevich demonstrate the medieval art of fencing with the German longsword at the 2015 Tournament of the Phoenix in Poway, Calif.

Swords of Chivalry (also known as San Diego Longsword) is a Western Martial Arts (WMA), or Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) interpretative training class, coordinated by the Chivalry Today Educational Program.

The study and practice of historical European sword combat (sometimes called historical fencing, or just plain “sword fighting”) is a growing field of sport and recreation – an entertaining way to discover a fascinating part of medieval and Renaissance history; get some great physical exercise; and a wonderful place to make some new friends. There are a growing number of HEMA study groups, practical (training) conferences, and competitive tournaments all across the United States (as well as many in Europe, South America, and Australia) that are working to revive this historical art.

The Swords Of Chivalry HEMA program is a series of weekly workshops designed to give students of all ages an opportunity to discover, and eventually master, the surprisingly complex practice of medieval sword fighting. Swords Of Chivalry sessions place a high focus on control and precision, not raw strength and brute force. As the historical masters pointed out, "If every duel was won by the strongest fighter, then there would be no need to learn the artful use of the sword." We practice in very minimal protective gear (no hockey pads or thick plastic armor required) and place a strong emphasis on creating a safe and supportive environment for students of every size and background to learn "the art," not just the biggest and most aggressive.

Drawn directly from historical source material – the fight-books or “manuals of defense” from the 14th and 15th centuries – Swords of Chivalry HEMAprogram lets you experience the skills of a real medieval knight training for battle, duel, and tournament. The Swords Of Chivalry/San Diego Longsword program is a proud member of the national network of HEMA Alliance affiliated training programs, and is a member of the Chivalric Fighting Arts Association.

Swords Of Chivalry HEMA groups meet weekly at the Lionheart Fencing Academy in El Cajon, and the Team Touché Fencing Center in San Diego. Classes for teens and adults are available at both locations. Please contact the front desk at either facility to reserve a spot at an upcoming Swords Of Chivalry meeting. Introductory classes are free of charge!

Who Can Attend?

Swords Of Chivalry HEMA sessions provide a serious opportunity to experience, and eventually master a complex, adaptable fighting art. When you join our HEMA program, you'll enjoy the mental challenge of learning this historical martial art, as well as the physical challenge of putting the art into practice along with fellow students through an increasingly complex series of lessons, exercises, and (eventually) free-play sessions. Among the practitioners in our weekly sessions, we welcome:

Anyone who loves fantasy tales, who has imagined being a noble warrior or a "knight in shining armor";

Video gamers who want to experience the realities of the “power moves” they see on-screen;

LARPers and reenactors who want to bring a new level of historical realism to their activities;

Parents and children who are looking for a mutual bonding pastime (we encourage parents and children to work together in our classes);

Kid and teens (in our "youth" sessions) whose personalities aren't well-suited to the heavy competition pressures of other traditional youth sports - we keep the focus on learning, having fun, and making friends, rather than worrying about who is winning.

The Swords Of Chivalry program teaches the historical sword fighting skills often put to use in tournaments at HEMA conferences and historical reenactment events, like the one shown here. (Photo courtesy of Quinn Sellars.)

Why Should I Do This?

Like those knights-in-training of old, the focus of Swords of Chivalry is not just on physical skill, but also on the values of self-discipline, respect, trust, sportsmanship, and honor – the values of the code of chivalry! Each session of Swords of Chivalry is conducted in a safe, supportive environment under the supervision of Scott Farrell (director of the Chivalry Today Educational Program) and his staff of instructors.

Come join us for Swords of Chivalry medieval sword-combat training – whether you want to learn to cross swords and spar with fellow students, or just get a low-impact workout through the range-of-motion physical techniques of the art of defense (it’s like yoga with a sword). Classes for adults and youth/teens (10 and up) are held weekly!